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Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (KS:005930) shares surged to a record high on Monday, extending a strong rally fueled by growing optimism around the company’s artificial intelligence strategy and semiconductor outlook. The South Korean tech giant jumped more than 6% in morning trade to an all-time high of 136,800 won, helping lift the benchmark KOSPI index by nearly 2%.
The latest rally was driven by upbeat comments from co-CEO Jun Young Hyun, who reportedly told employees in a year-end memo that major customers believe “Samsung is back.” The remarks reinforced investor confidence that Samsung is regaining competitiveness in the fast-growing AI chip market, particularly in high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a critical component used in AI data centers and advanced processors.
Market sentiment was further boosted by reports suggesting Samsung is close to securing a major supply agreement with NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA), the global leader in AI chips. News of Hyun’s comments initially sent Samsung shares higher late last week, with gains accelerating into Monday. The optimism also spread across Asian technology stocks, with rival memory chipmaker SK Hynix Inc (KS:000660) rising nearly 3% to its own record high.
Samsung’s strong start to early 2026 builds on momentum from the final quarter of 2025, when the stock climbed sharply amid signs of tightening global memory chip supplies and rising processor prices. Explosive demand from the artificial intelligence sector, particularly for HBM used in AI accelerators, is expected to significantly constrain supply this year, pushing prices higher and benefiting leading chip manufacturers.
Although Samsung initially lagged behind SK Hynix in capitalizing on AI-driven HBM demand, the company made notable progress in mid-to-late 2025. It reportedly secured supply agreements with OpenAI and has been steadily closing the technology gap with competitors. South Korean media reports indicate that Samsung may also be nearing a deal with Nvidia, a potential catalyst for further upside.
Adding to the bullish outlook, Samsung is expected to post strong earnings for the fourth quarter of 2025. The company is scheduled to release preliminary results this week, with investors watching closely for confirmation of improving profitability and AI-related growth.
